


The Depths

by paladrae (orphan_account)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Allura and Lance are Siblings, Alternate Universe - Mermaid, It's a little like the little mermaid, Keith and Shiro are Siblings, Little Mermaid Elements, M/M, Mermaid Hunk, Prince Lance (Voltron), but also not at all, human keith, human shiro, klance, mermaid Pidge, mermaid lance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-10-18
Packaged: 2018-11-08 13:48:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11082855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/paladrae
Summary: Voltron Mermaid AUKlance





	1. The Depths

As he was lulled awake, the first thing Lance was aware through his dream like, half asleep half awake but very warm, state was his name being shouted and a lot of banging. As he blinked a couple times, his bedroom coming into focus in front of him - he realised the voice was Coran and the banging was Coran's fist. On his door.

"Uh, Prince Lance?" came the oh so familiar voice of his fathers royal adviser "I know it takes you a while to wake up but a little grunt to let me know you're alive would be highly appreciated."

Lance let off a sleepy chuckle as he sat up "I'm awake, Coran, come in."

His door was tentatively pushed open and Coran's head popped in his room "Ah, yes you are. Good morning sir." he then pushed the door open rather noisily and swam into the room like he owned the place, throwing open Lance's curtains - who squinted into the rays of sunlight shining down into the water "it's a lovely day, your highness."

Lance smiled as he got up from his bed, he'd always been extremely fond of the boisterous man - he'd known him pretty much his whole life. He had the great job of getting Lance up in the morning and actually getting him to go and do his duties. "Coran." Lance smiled as he swam over to his mirror and table. Sitting down and sighing at the crown sitting on the surface in front of him "how many times, Lance, please call me Lance. It is my name after all."

"Of course, Sire." Coran nodded and Lance rolled his eyes, setting his crown down on his head. After coming of age at 18 a few months ago, Lance had been crowned an actual Prince of Altea. Which, he passionately hated. Not his home town, never. Just the constant duties and learning.

"What's on my agenda for today then?" Lance asked as Coran tossed him one of the Starfruits from the kitchens for breakfast.

"Just your studies." Coran said, Lance let out a groan and he bit a huge chunk out of it. That was the part he hated the most. He would get taught by one of his 6 older sister. Yes, that's right, six. Dad really wanted one for every Ocean. Hence why Lance's middle name was Caspian and he was stuck with 6 elder sisters. Most of whom barely even acknowledge his existence. Being the youngest meant at least he wasn't in line for the throne. Well he was, but all of his siblings would have to die. 

"Who's teaching me today?" he sighed, turning in his chair to face Coran.

"Allura." he replied, Lance smiled a little. Alright, not so bad then. Allura was his favourite sister. Oldest of them all and 1st in line for the Throne. Also Daddy's favourite and general just a goody two shoes all round. But was the only one of the six Princesses Lance thought actually deserved the throne.

At that moment there was a bang on his door "speak of the starfish." Lance smirked as his door clanged open to reveal his oldest sister.

"You're late." she deadpanned, flicking her tail impenitently.

"Good morning to you too, Allura!" Lance smirked, getting up from his chair and cramming the last of the Starfruit in his mouth "I slept great, thanks for asking. What about you?" 

"Very funny, Lance." she sighed in an annoyed tone that didn't quite reach the smile tugging on her lips as Lance swam over to her.

"Thanks for breakfast, Coran!" he beamed

"See you both at the dinner tonight." he sighed, slightly whetherly but he smiled as he waved off the siblings. Lance's lessons always happened in the Library, every Wednesday from 9am to 3pm. Most kids his age would of stopped education but as a Prince he was expected to have a higher education. Lance thought it dumb, he always enjoyed being on the same level as the people of Altea. His dad had always taught the 7 of his kids to be kind to their subjects. A kind and loyal leader made the best kings and queens. According to Alfor anyway. 

Whom, all of his children were the spitting image of. All with slightly odd silvery hair and icy blue eyes that occasionally made people uncomfortable. But made them stick out like a sore thumb as royalty wherever they went. Lance hated it. Always kinda wishing he had brown hair like Pidge or Hunk. There was no hiding he was a Prince anymore, and he so rarely got to see his best friends.

"Lance!" came the impaitent snap of his older sister, the boy looked up to where she stood, hand on hip while explaining something about their lesson. Oh, she'd been talking to him.

"Sorry, Allura." he sighed "I tuned out."

Her expression softened "we have been at this a while, maybe we should just pick up here tomorrow?"

He beamed at her "Really? "

"Really." she laughed "go off and find Hunk and Pidge and get up to whatever mischeif you guys do - I don't wanna know."

"You're the best." he laughed, shooting up from the chair. 

"I know." she sighed "have fun." he leaned over the table to press a kiss into her cheek before grinning and swimming for the door. She was his favourite sister for a reason and he grinned as he raced for the exit of the castle.

Now, knowing Pidge and Hunk, they'd be in the hideout. Yes, hideout. The three of them had had it since they were baby mers. Lance could't help but grin as he swam as fast as his fins would carry him out the castle and into the town. Freedom, for a whole afternoon.

"Afternoon, Prince Lance!" smiled one of the villagers to him as he went through the town. People oing about their business, selling in the market.

"Good afternoon!" Lance smiled happily as he swam past. He did really love the people of Altea. The trios hideout lay about a 15 minute swim out of the outside of the village and into a rocky area where a lot of fish usually had their homes. The water around him dropped in temperature as he swam out of Altea, the current tugging at him slightly more. He flexed out the spines of his dorsal fin for more control as the rocks came into view. He stopped just outside the hideout, which to passers by was just a big rock. Grinning as he heard Hunk's laugh from inside, he banged his fist against the makeshift, plywood door they'd built a few years back. 

"Who is it?" came Pidge's voice

"Who do you think, Jelly Brain." Lance laughed

"I know it's not Lance." she replied sarcastically "cause I _know_ Lance would _never_ forget the secret knock he invented himself."

"Oh, just let me in." he laughed as the plywood was lifted up by the pulley system Pidge had set up and he swam in. There was a few moments of dark cave systems before it opened up into the cavern that was their safe haven.

"Lance!" came Hunk's happy voice as Lance's whole wold went dark and he was crushed into Hunk's chest in an all consuming, Kraken like hug. 

"Let go of the poor boy, Hunk." came Pidge's laugh "you're cutting of the air to his gills."

"Oh, sorry." Hunk let him go and Lance gasped the water into the slits on his ribs.

"Wow, my whole life just flashed before my eyes." Lance said dramatically "....we spent way too much time in here." Hunk laughed and Pidge smiled from the rock she was perched on in the middle of the place. An object Lance had never seen before in her hands "You got something new?" he beamed, swimming over and sitting beside her. 

"Yeah, your guess is as good as mine to what it does." she shrugged, letting him take it out her hands.

"Never mind that for a minute." Hunk shook his head, floating in front of the two of them "what are you doing here, Lance? Not that I'm not super glad you are here, but don't you have duties?"

"Allura let me off for the afternoon." he waved his hand at the subject, more consumed by the weird object in his hands. The 3 of them, since they were little, had been totally fascinated by humans. Well, more Pidge and Lance where was Hunk swam behind them, telling it was a bad idea to swim into sunken ships to explore. The cavern they were in currently housed all the objects they'd ever found. It was huge with a hole in the top, letting sunlight trickle in a little. Lance lifted it up to his face, it looked like two humans dancing on a circular stage, as he turned it over he noticed what looked lie a key jutting out the back and did what his first instinct was. He turned it. Hunk screeched and Pidge and Lance jumped as music started tinkling out for a split second.

"Do that again!" Pidge grinned and Lance spun the key round a couple more times. He smiled, holding the object in his hands as a sweet sounding melody played from it, the statue on top revolving slowing.

"It's beautiful." Lance smiled 

"Why don't we put it on your shelf." Pidge smiled, Lance returned it as she took it from his hands and swam over the the side of the cavern dedicated to all the objects he'd found. It had been weeks since he's seen his friends. Ever since his 18th he'd been allowed less and less free time. "fancy some treasure hunting?"

"Always." Lance laughed

"It's not the same without you." Pidge sighed, swimming for the exit, green tail flashing in front of Lance who swam behind her as she lifted the door open "Hunk's such a Guppie, he won't go up to that Island with me."

"Smuggler's Cove?" Lance smirked, ignoring the indignant "hey!" from Hunk on his other side.

"Yeah, more and more humans have been going, which means more of them are dropping stuff into the sea for us." she laughed as they swam more out into the sea, water dropping in teperature a little more but it was still pleasantly lit with sunlight around them.

"So, how's the Wetology coming?" Lance looked at Pidge

"Alright." she shrugged "my mums trying her best to teach me... it's a little hard without Dad and Matt..."

Lance smiled sadly "we'll find them, Pidge, Coran's out with the search parties every day."

"I know." she tried to smile but it shook on her face "I just miss them." Lance didn't really know how to reply "but it's going well, I managed a drink to change the colour of scales. Not exactly ground breaking science yet but almost!" 

They were hunting all day, Pidge finding another few of those round, shiny things they flick off the things they drink from and pushing them into her bag. Lance only being lucky enough to find another spoon. They were about to give up for the day when Lance saw something twinkle in the shallows near a rocky area.

"Be careful." Hunk said halfheartedly (for like the 10th time today) as he swam down to find it. There was something gold and twinkling on a chain in the sand. As he pulled it out he brushed some of the sand from it. It was a necklace, a pendant on the end of a delicate chain shaped like a tear drop. Lance smiled and snapped open the locket. 

_Empty._

He sighed a little in disapointment put still pulled it around his neck before swiming back over to Hunk and Pidge.

"A necklace." Pidge smiled "it's lovely."

"Remind me to take it off before I go home." Lance sighed "my dad would flip his gills if he saw me wearing it." 

"Roger that." Hunk nodded.

The three of them jumped at a loud noise from the surface, all heads looking to the source of the deep humming noise. Lance's eyes lit up at the sight of a boat a little to the West of them heading for the Island. He didn't think before she shot towards the surface. 

"Lance, wait!" Hunk called after him

"I just want a closer look." he replied vaguely before breaking he surface. The sun was warm on his face and he smiled at the feeling as he swam for better cover behind a rock. The boat was small and was heading for the Island about a half kilometre from the outcrop of rocks, Lance pulled most of his torso out the water. There were two boys pulling the boat up on to the sand. He heard Pidge and Hunk break the surface behind him. 

"They're so close." Lance breathed, looking as the taller one let of a laugh. They were pulling bags from the boat. Lance watched from behind the rock, pulling himself totally on to the tiny outcrop, sitting behind it and watching. 

"Lance, come on." Hunk hissed "you'll be seen."

"They're far away." Lance waved his hand, turning to look at them. Pidge's lips twitched up and she climbed on to the rock as well to peek over it. 

"They're so... normal looking." she frowned "I thought they'd be taller."

"I'm gonna get a closer look." Lance said slowly, pushing himself back into the water. As he swam he was aware Pidge was following him. 

"You two are gonna be the death of me." Hunk muttered "be careful, the tides are strong by the South end of the Island."

"When have we ever been reckless?" Lance shot a cheeky smile at him

"Us?" Pidge added, holding a dramatic hand over her heart "We would never, Hunk!"

Hunk couldn't help but laugh with the two of them. The island was small but there was a small cliff and a load of rock pools jutting out into the ocean on the South of the island, only accessible during low tide. Which was now, so it wasn't so bad, the tide would tug them out to sea rather than beaching them on the sand. Lance poked his head above the surface. He could see the one of them piling a load of sticks and laughing while the other was setting up what looked like a fabric house. Pidge broke the surface beside him, both of them curiously watching but there necks down still submerged. 

"Their ears are so weird." Pidge whispered, twitching the fins on the side of her head almost subconsciously. Lance wasn't listening. He was watching the smaller one throw branches on to a pile. He had pale skin, dark hair and eyebrows making a stark contrast against it. Lance wished he could see the colour of his eyes from here.

"He's beautiful." he whispered and Pidge smirked

"Which one, Kissing Fish?"

"The one with the sticks, I mean he could use a hair cut."

"I guess." Pidge said "I'm more interested in their hands." Lance looked at her with a raised eyebrow and she sighed "look at them Lance, they're not webbed or anything. THere's not a scale on them."

Lance held his arm above the water, the blue scales started about half way down his forearm and totally covered his hands. Hands where the fingers were webbed together to make swimming easier. He looked to the boys hands where his hands were the same colour as the rest of him and his fingers were not webbed together.

"Weird." he frowned, then gasped as a huge orange flamed suddenly sprouted from the twigs the boy had been setting.

"Shiro!" he spoke happily and Lance shuddered at the sound of his voice "I got the fire going."

"Nice job!" the taller one, clapped him on the shoulder. Lance shivered as a gust of cold wind blew around him and Pidge, the water getting a little more choppy.

"Looks like a storm's coming." Pidge said "we should head back soon."

"Five more minutes." Lance pouted "as soon as I get back I'll have to sit and eat dinner with my stuck up sisters."

"What about your Dad?" Pidge asked gently, Lance sighed, turning back to the humans to watch.

"He's been heading the search parties for the missing mermaids." Lance shrugged "which is amazing, I love him for it, I really hope they're found soon but I just..."

"Miss him." Pidge smiled, giving Lance's arm a reassuring squeeze under the water.

"Yeah." he smiled over at his friend as the current below them tugged a little stronger but they didn't give up. Seeing humans this close was a treat.

"I'm gonna go explore the rock pools." the human boy spoke to the other.

"Alright, be careful." he replied in a very brotherly tone

"I always am." the first grinned back cheekily. The waves were getting stronger and Lance was finding it harder to keep his balance as rain started falling on them.

"Lance we should go." Pidge tugged his arm "I'm not as strong a swimmer as you and he's headed this way, we'll be seen for sure."

"Yeah... you're right." Lance sighed, glancing once more at the boy before diving under the water with Pidge. The water around them was now _much_ colder since the sun had gone behind a cloud, cold rain now pattering on the water over them. Everything seemed more calm under the water than the choppy waves above them. The two of them swam to where Hunk was waiting by the rocks under water just beside the rock pools.

"You two are gonna give me an anyerism." he said, though he was smiling as he rubbed his temples "is it stormy up there?"

"Yeah, it was just getting a little too strong to stay at the surface." Lance said, then sighed noticing how dark it was getting "I really should be getting back, Coran will start to worry."

"It won't take us long to et back." Pidge said "the current is pulling toward the village."

"Okay that's f-" Lance's sentence was cut of when there was a crashing sound above them. The three of them looked up and Lance's blood froze in his veins at the sight of the human in the water. He barely registered Hunk sharply tugging on his hand as the three of them shot behind a rock a little away. Lance's eyes glued to the boy who was struggling to swim to the surface, the current pulling him down as he flailed. 

"I... I don't think he can swim." Lance said, tone worried "we... we have to help him."

"Are you insane?" Pidge hissed, snatching Lance's arm as he moved to swim for the boy "you'll be seen!"

"He'll drown!" Lance snapped "we can't just let him die!"

"What if he takes you!" Pidge pleaded "you know Alfor thinks it's humans who kidnapped the mermaids!"

"What if he doesn't and he dies!" Lance tried to pull him arm free, Pidge looked hysterical and Lance softened his tone "even if my dad is right, we can't be like them. We're better."

Pidge dithered, her grip loosening on Lance's arm "if he does anything, swim as fast as you can and tell my Dad." and with that he yanked his arm free and swam for where the boy had stopped thrashing and was being carried out to sea by the current, heading towards the jagged rocky island by the shore. Lance's heart was pounding in his chest, ignoring every innate instinct in him to swim away. Fast. He clasped the boy around the chest and shot for the surface. As he broke the surface he was immediately pushed back down by another harsh wave. He gasped in water before pushing himself and the boy above the water.

Land. He needed land.

Seeing a flat piece of land in the rockpools, the tide coming in and making it an island separate to the main land. Lance swam as fast as he could, the added weight of keeping the boy's head above the surface making his tail ache. The boy was limp in his arms and he dried not to panic as he clawed at the rocks. The boy was like a dead weight ragdoll in his arm as he _just_ managed to pull himself and the boy up on to the island. Rain still thundering down around them as he managed to lay the boy flat.

"Please don't be dead." Lance panicked, trying to remember his lessons on human biology.

Heartbeat. Go for a heartbeat. 

Thaht's one thing they had in common with humans. Lance pressed his left ear into the centre of the boys chest. A moment of pure anxiety later before he heart it.

 _Bdum_. _Bdum_.

Regular heart beats sounding below his ear, chest rising and falling with breaths.

"Thank god." Lance sighed. Pushing on to his elbows where he lay next to the boy, who was on his back, raven hair plastered across his face, eyes closed. Lance felt oddly at peace in his presence but his fingers still shook as he reached out and brushed the hair from his eyes. He was totally entranced by seeing a human this close. This one had a straight nose, his jaw strong with high cheek bones. Good looking even by mermaid standards.

Lance had always been interested by humans, looking down at his two legs he wondered what it might be like to be a human. He smiled at the prospect of not having any royal duties.

"What would I give to live where you are." Lance laughed to himself, stroking a few curious fingers across the boys hair. It curled like soft seaweed around Lance's fingers, he sang to himself as he looked at the boys face, rubbing his thumb across his cheek. Just as he did the rain eased up and a few weak sun beams shone down on to the boys face. lance jumped as he groaned, his eyes scrunching and they opened. His eyes were indescribable, like staring into the night sky. A dark blue that was almost purple looked back at him, then suddenly widened.

Lance all but snapped back to his senses.

 _Shit_. He'd been seen. With that he pushed roughly on his hands and scrambled back, quickly diving into the water.

"Wait, please!" he heard the boy say before he shot under water. He floated under the surface for a minute, looking up at the boy through the water, warped by the waves.

"Please... I'm not going to hurt you." he just heard him say. He turned to see Pidge and Hunk swimming over but they were a while away. The voice of reason in his head screamed for him to stop but he flicked his tail and let the top of his head break the surface. Keeping everything from the nose down in the water. The boy was kneeling by the shore, staring at him with wide eyes.

"H-hello." he spoke. Lance moved slightly closer "...can you speak? ...Do you know what I'm saying?"

Lance moved so his whole head was above the water. God stop it you idiot. Your dad is going to kill you. "Yes, I can speak."

"Oh my god." the boy breathed, then smiled "you're... you're a..."

"Catfish got your tongue?" Lance smiled and the boy laughed. It was like music to his ears, tinkling sweet laugh with genuine warmth behind it.

"Do you have a name?" the boy asked, brushing wet hair from his eyes.

"L-Lance." he replied, his voice wavering. His stomach felt like it might explode. This was insane. He should not be doing this.

"Thank you... Lance. You saved my life."

"What's.. what's your name?" Lance swam a tiny bit closer.

"Keith." he said, reaching a hand towards Lance in the water. He shot back a foot innately "I'm not gonna hurt you. You shake it, do... mermaids... shake hands when they meet?"

"Yes, I'm just.. I shouldn't be talking to you."

"Why?" Keith asked, hand still outstretched towards him, eyes sparkling as he looked at Lance in the water.

"I'm not sure." he honestly replied, then looked at the hand warily before lifting his blue, scaled hand from the water and reached out. His fingers about to touch Keith's when a call of Keith's name made him jump.

"Keith!" shouted the other man from the shore, Lance moved to swim away instantly.

"Please, wait!" Keith said "can I... can I see you again?"

Lance dithered for a moment but the second he made eye contact all resolve crumbled. 

"Here. Tomorrow. Sundown." before diving backwards and swimming down into the depths.


	2. Another Meeting

"You're insane!" Hunk said, for the 10th time, since sneaking out of the castle and, again, Lance ignored the comment. He knew. He knew this was totally insane. He was swimming between Hunk and Pidge, the water around them murky and dark as the sun set in the land above them. The markings on each of their skin - which mermaids were born with - glowing against the darkening area around them.

"I brought a potion I've been working on with my mum." Pidge said as they made it past the hideout "one wrong move and I'll throw it, as soon as the glass smashes this is gonna blow up smoke and you can swim for your life."

"Thanks Pidge." Lance mumbled, keeping his eyes trained forward.

He should not be doing this, if his dad found out he'd be gills deep in trouble. Not to mention he was exposing his people, the one rule all mers had to follow. Keep their existance a secret from humans.

He was breaking the number one rule. 

Why?

He had no idea.

"How did you even sneak out?" Pidge asked gently 

"I told Coran I felt ill - he sent me to bed early." Lance sighed "I hate lying to him but he trusts me so much he'd believe anything I said."

"If this guy stuffs you into a fishing net I'm not being held responsible." Hunk said sternly. Or what he passed off as stern.

"He won't... I hope." Lance sighed "listen guys, I know this is crazy, like, beyond crazy. But imagine if we could communicate, this might be the end to all the tension between our people. We can finally stop hiding if we can just... I don't know, prove they're not the reason people are going missing." 

His friends were quiet until Pidge sighed "I guess I agree, I don't think my family are somewhere up in the human world. I think they were just... I don't know, researching and forgot the tides and got swept away. They'll come back."

Lance looked down to the locket around his neck "I just don't see how a world that makes such wonderful things... could be bad?"

"We're almost to the island, he might not even be there. Convinced himself you weren't real, or chickened out cause he thought you were a Siren." Pidge grinned and Lance laughed

"I know I'm good looking but we don't associate with them for a reason Pidge." Lance shot a wink in her direction as they neared the rock were Lance had saved the Keith. Lance's chest constricted when he saw the soft light of a lantern through the water and the silhouette of the boy, rippling above as the sun set behind him.

"Good luck." Hunk sighed

"Oh, cheer up." Lance smiled, sucking in a deep breath through his gills before flicking his tail slowly. As his head slinked above the surface Lance watched Keith snap to attention and see him, his eyes going wide. Lance floated about 5 feet away from the rock. Just in case.

"You're real." the boy breathed

"Course I am." Lance raised an eyebrow questioningly, he found Keith extremely unintimidating up close "you think a friendly Dolphin pulled your heavy ass out the water?"

Keith snorted with laughter "thought I might of swallowed too much salt water and dreamt up a mermaid."

"Unfortunatly not, I'm very real." Lance swam forward and watched the boys eyes widen further as he rested his elbows on the edge of the rock.

"I can see that..." Keith said "you're beautiful."

"Wow, buy me dinner first, Hot Shot." Lance laughed "I mean, human's do I eat I know that much, do you have dinner?"

Keith seemed taken a back by the question "uh, yeah, we do?"

Lance grinned "and you eat with those silver things right?" This was so exciting for a boy who had been scooping human stuff out of the sand since he was 8. To be this close, and talking to a human, was just incredible to him "Hunk swears that they're easier to use than a dinglehopper but Pidge and I disagree."

"Dingle...hopper?" Keith laughed

"Yeah! You don't have them? They're kinda like your spoons but made of coral, with a sharp edge. Pidge's Dad makes these really cool colourful ones."

"Pidge?" Keith was overwhelmed to say the least "there are more of you?"

"How the hell did you think I was born?" Lance laughed "I didn't just pop into existence, the one mermaid in the Ocean. I have Pidge and Hunk with me."

"You do?" Keith looked around

"They're below the surface about 20 feet away, ready to bombard you at the first wrong move." Lance shrugged nonchalantly

"Why would I make a wrong move?" Keith asked, looking at the water behind Lance for signs of life and oncoming attack.

Lance shrugged "my dad's banned all human and mermaid contact, it's kinda illegal for me to be talking to you right now."

"So why are you?"

Lance smirked slightly "lets call it personal interest, humans are... fascinating."

"I reckon we're kinda boring." Keith laughed, he was looking at Lance like he was the embodiment of the sun.

He kinda was, Keith had never seen someone so dazzlingly beautiful. Lance's eyes seemed to pierce his skin in icy blue waves, hair like snow and his skin a perfect caramel with not a single blemish. Though he was entranced by the patterns swirling over Lance's skin in a sharp, light blue colour. They seemed to be glowing in the water.

"Your skin." he said, mentally kicking himself for how dumb it sounded

Lance lifted a hand out the water, caramel and blue light fading into dark blue scales. Keith noticed the thin webbing joining Lance's fingers together "Oh it just helps us see in the dark water, you don't have that?"

"No, we don't." Keith lent on his knee

Lance was bemused "then how do you see in the dark?"

"We use lights." Keith laughed "electricity."

"elec-what?"

Keith smiled "electricity, it makes lights, powers homes. Though I guess in the olden days we used fire."

"Yes!" Lance said exictedly, pushing into the balls of his hands so his whole torso was out the water "I've read about that! It's hot and it burns, right?"

"Yeah." Keith smiled at the boys excited eyes "here." he pulled the lighter out of his pocket, flicking down so the small flame appeared on the end.

"Oh wow." Lance breathed, his face illuminated by the soft orange glow "what is that thing? it makes fire?"

"It's called a lighter." Keith explained "it's just a flint being lit with lighter fluid."

"It's amazing." Lance breathed, extending fingers out. A laugh bubbled out his chest as he felt the warmth from the flame.

"I still can't believe your real." Keith said "I feel like I'm dreaming."

"I'm as real as can be." Lance chuckled, turning round so he could sit on the rock beside Keith, though still a good few feet away just for safe keeping, the end of his tail swishing in the water.

"So, there are more mermaids?" Keith asked "do you have a family?"

"Yep, 6 older sisters and my dad." Lance replied

"Wow, big family."

"You don't have a big family?"

Keith shrugged "my parents died when I was young, it's really just me and my brother now - and our Uncle I guess but we never see him."

"That's sad." Lance frowned

"It's alright, we make do." Keith shrugged "but 6 sisters, that's a lot."

"It's customary for the King to have 7 children - _one for each of the 7 seas we call home._ " Lance quoted his father.

"Wait." Keith interrupted "King? You're... you're a Prince?"

"Yep." Lance shrugged "Prince Lance Caspian Altean at your service."

Keith nearly choked "Prince of what, exactly? Altlantis?"

Lance chuckled at the common human misconception of what he called home "no, Altea - it's my home town."

Lance looked over at the boy, getting a good look at him for the first time. He had pale skin, shining against the dusk light, it was in stark contrast to his inky black hair. It was thick and pulled into a small ponytail at the base of his neck. Brows and eyelashes were also thick, framing those stormy violet eyes. He wore dark clothes, pretty much all black, his red shoes beaten and holey but he somehow pulled it off.

He's beautiful.

Lance blushed slightly as his eyes met his, the sky going darker as the talked to each other. Stars appearing in the sky as the lantern burned out slowly beside the human boy. Lance's skin glowing, though he found himself growing tired. Mermaids could survive on land for a good few hours but eventually needed to get back in the water. Like dolphins returning to the surface for air - except the other way around.

"Sorry, just a second." Lance interrupted Keith while he was talking about how books are made with paper rather than seaweed on land. He frowned as Lance suddenly pushed himself into the water with a splash. Lance sighed happily as he resurfaced, sucking water into his gills and leaning elbows on the rock beside Keith's knee.

"I'm sorry, I needed the oxygen." Lance pushed silvery hair out his eyes

"You don't breathe air?" Keith asked

"No, I breathe through these bad boys." Lance laughed, pushing on to his hands to show Keith the slits on his torso "I don't need them above water so they close by themselves."

"You have gills." Keith said in awe "like a shark?"

"And a deadly one at that." Lance wiggled his eyebrows, making Keith snort out a laugh as he lowered himself back down. Lance felt a tug on his fin and looked down to see Pidge in the water and sighed, it was getting pretty late and he'd been keeping Pidge and Hunk up.

"I should go." he sighed to Keith

"Oh." Keith's face fell and Lance felt his heart do a little stutter.

"We could meet again?" Lance asked "at the same time tomorrow?"

"I'd like that..." Keith smiled

"Just, don't tell anyone?" Lance sighed "it's illegal and all..."

"Your secret existence is safe with me." Keith grinned and Lance laughed

"Bye." he said softly, pushing away from the rock.

Keith smiled as he did "Good bye, Lance."

Lance could feel his cheeks heat up as he sank under the water, swimming over to where Pidge and Hunk were waiting for him, Hunk with a look of concern, Pidge with a shit eating smirk.

"Don't say it." Lance said as he swam past them, the two o them racing to swim after him. pidge was chuckling and Hunk was even smiling at this point.

"Say what?" Pidge grinned "Romeo?"

"I said not to say it and you said it anyway." Lance tried to act irritated but failed as the smile kept tugging on his lips as they snuck back into the village in the dark.


	3. Stormy Waters

Lance sighed as he stared out at the stormy black sea above him. The water older and murkier than usual as rain battered against the surface above him. This storm had been going on for days now, bringing his meetups with Keith to a grinding halt. In fact, he'd stood him up on their last set time and day. Lance hoped he understood, or that he wasn't able to get out to the island either due to the storm, the current was just far too strong - even for Hunk who was the strongest swimmer out of the three of them - to get out to their meet up spot. The last few days had dragged on, Lance not really having anything to look forward to anymore between his mundane day to day duties.

He almost jumped out of his skin at the sharp rap on his door "come in." he sighed, trying - and failing - not to sound too dejected. Coran poked his head round the door.

"Evening, your majesty, your father has returned and requests the presence of his children for dinner."

Lance's face cracked into the first smile he'd had in a few days "I'll be right down!" Coran dipped his head politely and let the door click shut behind him. Lance jumped up and snatched his crown off the desk, securing it neatly on his forehead as he knew his dad liked him to wear it, before shooting out the door and toward the dinning room.As he entered,  he saw his father, looking very weathered and tired talking to his sister Alana.

"Father!" Lance said happily, shooting across the room to seize his dad round the shoulders in a smothering hug. Alfor chuckled warmly, hugging his boy back.

"Such a warm welcome." he smiled as Lance let him go "how are you, my boy?"

"I'm great." Lance grinned "now that you're home."

Alfor smiled slightly more at that statement "please sit, I want to catch up with my children." Lance did as he was told, sinking into his chair beside his father - at the head of the table. Almost as soon as Alfor had sat, maids entered the room wither their dinners and the King entrapped the sister just older than Lance in conversation.

"So, Aquata dear, how have the discussions with the Prince of Eres been going?"

"Very well, Papa." she smiled sweetly, Lance busied himself with pushing his food around his plate. "we should have a trading link established very soon." The discussions of the royal duties were often highly boring and didn't involve him. He was too young to be taken on trips to other mer-clans anyway. He supposed that would soon change, now that he was of age. Lance could think of nothing worse than being stuck on a long trip with 5 of his snooty sisters. I suppose going with Allura wouldn't be so bad. It's not that Lance disliked his sisters, in face he loved them very much. But they were the definition of spoiled Princesses. None of whom wanted to really play with Lance as he grew up. Except Allura, he thought. Who indulged him most times.  
Stifling a sigh he turned his gaze to the window and was quite happy to see the water was lighter, weak rays of sunlight just trickling through. Maybe he'd be able to see Keith tomorrow?

"Lance!" came the snap of Allura and he whipped round to the table, dragged from his thoughts to see them all looking at them.

"Sorry.. what is it?" he said, a little sheepishly.

His father laughed "You're so like your mother." he smiled fondly "I asked whether you were enjoying your classes?"

"Oh, yes." he lied instantly, smile a little strained.

"Very good." Alfor nodded.

"So, Father, how are the searches coming?" Lance asked gently , his father sighed, physically deflating in his chair.

"Nothing." he shook his head "we've looked everywhere the tide could of possibly taken them, I've increased my search range 4 times now.. and still." he rubbed a hand over the bottom of his face, looking strained "I think it's time we must assume the humans are at fault."

"Oh, but, Father, are you sure?" Lance said, stomach giving a sickening churn of guilt.

"Quite sure, Lance." he said, rather shortly "I think it's time we have to call of the searches-"

"But you have to keep looking!" Lance came back quickly, his sisters had fallen deadly silent. Lance had always obeyed his Father, very  _very_ rarely would he fight back like this "Pidge and her Mother, they'll be devastated!"

"I'm sorry, Lance, there's no where else to look."

"There must be! You have to have missed somewh-"

"I have not!" Alfor snapped, his voice cutting through Lance in an icy shard right to his chest. He'd never taken such a tone with Lance before, and he seemed to instantly regret it as he looked as his son's, quite obviously, hurt expression.

"Yes, I'm sorry, I shouldn't of.... excuse me." Lance got up, his eyes stinging a little.

"Lance, please sit. You've barely touched your food." Alfor said softly.

"I'm not hungry." Lance whispered "good night." and with that he swam as fast as he could to the door. His insides churning with a guilt that was making him nauseous. He clutched at his stomach as he slammed his bedroom door behind him, collapsing on to his sea sponge bed. A mix of, anger, sadness and guilt his father had just stirred into him. He turned over, pushing a clenched fist into his abs to try and eliviate some of the sickness and force himself to sleep.

x

"Lance, are you alright?" Pidge asked softly as Lance watched the sea get slowly darker through the gap in the top of their cavern. The girl eyed him suspiciously from where she was putting new findings on her shelf.

"I'm fine." Lance smiled meekly

She narrowed her eyes further "I don't believe you." she sighed, turning away "but I know you well enough to pretend that I do."

Lance smiled weakly, his stomach twisting with another pang of guilt. Had Pidge and her mother been told that the searches were being stopped? That Matt and Sam were no where to be seen? Lance couldn't take sitting still anymore so he got up.

"I'm going to Smuggler's Cove." he stated

"Alright, be careful." Pidge said "tell Keith I sat y hi."

Lance smiled slightly, though the two had never met - Pidge and Keith had found out they liked all the same things - using Lance as their messenger to solidify their new found friendship.

"And be careful." Hunk added sternly.

"Always am, if I'm not back by morning blah blah I know the drill." he smiled "I'll see you guys tomorrow." and with that he swam back out through the cave. The water was relatively dark, the sun was setting above him as he swam, the light going dark as he snapped his dorsal fin spines out as he swam, icy blue light shining from his skin as he got closer to the Island. He held his breath as he reached their meet up rock. His heart lifting into his chest as he saw Keith's outline, sitting on the rock. He slinked above the water, Keith hadn't noticed him as he read a book by torchlight. Lance smiled softly at the boy who's eyes were darting back and forth across the page, hair falling in his eyes.

"Whatcha' reading?" Lance spoke, making the boy jump ad let out a high pitched scream.

"Jesus, Lance!" he said breathlessly, nearly dropping his torch into the water.

"Sorry." the boy laughed in return, resting his elbows on the rocks by Keith's knees. Keith relaxed, closing him book and smiling at the boy in the water, his fail flashing every now and then in the water under the moonlight.

"You came." he smiled

"Of course." Lance grinned "I'm sorry, the storms.. I'm not a strong enough swimmer."

"Don't apologise." Keith smiled "I wasn't likely getting my brother's tiny boat out here in that weather. How.. how have you been?"

"That's a question." Lance sighed, gracefully pushing out the water so sit next to Keith on the rock.

"What's wrong?" Keith's brows furrowed "are you okay?"

"I'm... okay..ish." he shook his head, looking over at Keith, who's face was laced with concern and he softened "it's just my dad. He came back and he says that they're calling off the searches."

"Pidge's family?" Keith said

"Still missing. I had, well it wasn't a fight, but..." Lance sighed and brushed a hand through his hair "he's never talked to me like that before."

"Do you.. feel bad about coming to meet me?" Keith said quietly

"It's not... that." Lance shook his head "I love talking to you it's just I've never really lied to my father before. Coming to meet you... it's so good, it's all I look forward to." Lance's face suddenly went very red as he realised he made this statement.

"Me too." his face flushed even more. He met Keith's eyes and smiled at him, noting Keith's cheeks had gone a very pretty pink colour, suddenly something warm enclosing around Lance's scaled hand. He looked down to see Keith's hand laying across his own.

"You're.. warm." he frowned, taking Keith's hand in his a little more.

Keith chuckled "yeah, you're less warm?" Lance's free hand reached out, shaking slightly as he brushed webbed fingers across Keith's cheek. His skin was warm?

"Why are you warm?" he frowned.

"I'm.. warm blooded?" Keith was finding it stupidly adorable how fascinated Lance was by this fact but also was feeling very blushy at the face his was having his cheek cupped by a hot mermaid.

"Hmm, fascinating." Lance was smiling now and it was infectious.

"It's nice to see you again." Keith said as Lance took his hand from his face and met his eyes, he sighed and smiled softly at Keith.

"You too." he brought his hands back on his lap "everything's been a bit...  _bleh_.. at the moment."

Keith smiled sympathetically "Yeah, me too."

"What's wrong?" Lance frowned suddenly, really not liking the idea anything was wrong in Keith's life.

"It's.. I guess it's hard to explain." he ran a hand into his dark hair "it's, well, I'm about to move into my own, like, house? And I have to leave my brother behind for a while. We've just not been apart very much... since my Mom died. It's hard. I guess... maybe it's stupid..."

Lance smiled softly, reaching over and taking Keith's hand in his. Lance's hand was cold and a little damp, compared to the warm, calloused skin of Keith's . Keith looked up at Lance, puffed out a sigh and dropped his head on to his shoulder. Blood rushed to Lance's face as Keith snuggled into his neck.

"You smell like... sunlight and sea salt." he mumbled after a moment, Lance flushed harder. Keith's smell was washing over him too, sweet and kinda musky. Something Lance had never smelled before.

"Is that a good thing?" Lance smiled, letting his shoulders relax - pushing out a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding in. Keith hummed in a "yes" kind of way as the two of them sat, the dark around them, a million stars sparkling above them.

"I wish you could come back with me." Keith sighed, he seemed to be a lot more honest than usual.

Lance laughed, it came out a little bitterly "me too."

"I could keep you in my bathtub." Keith's tone was joking and Lance felt him smile against his shoulder, soft, black hair tickling his chin.

He chuckled "mmh, plenty of swimming room."

Keith laughed more heartily, it was warm sounding, more full than Lance had heard before "even if there was a way.. you could visit for a day."

"I wish." 


	4. Alchemy

The words swam on the page in front of Lance, he could barely string any of them together - only vaguely aware of Allura speaking from opposite him. There was sunbeams shining through the windows and Lance stared at them wistfully, it had been so long since they had nice weather. Maybe he could go treasure hunting with Hunk and Pidge later before meeting Keith? If he lived through his lessons, he was about to collapse of sheer boredom.

"Lance?" Allura said, the softness of her tone took him off guard as he turned to her. Her face had a frown, but it was concerned. Lance suddenly realising her hand was on top of his - pretty, pink scales glinting in the sun over his blue ones "are you alright?" 

"...I'm fine?" Lance said slowly

She smiled at him "it's just... since the other night you've been a bit - distant?" he puffed out a sigh "is it Pidge?" He met her gaze and nodded "I - I asked Father not to tell the Holt's about Sam and Matt."

"What?" he snapped "why?" 

She shushed him, looking over her shoulder as the Librarian shot them an irritated look "I thought we could tell them, I'm sure Pidge would rather hear it from you than Coran."

Lance knew she was right, Pidge had a.. lets say "problem" with authority. It was a miracle she was friends with Lance, but they're been friends since.. since as long as he could remember. Lance was allowed to go to school with the other kids, everyone was a little afraid to talk to him since he was quite obviously a Prince and Coran had to stand in the corner while he was there. Pidge literally swam up to him and told him "your hair's weird." 

Lance smiled fondly at the memory, running fingers through his sivery hair "you're right."

"Shall we go now?" she asked "I don't know about you but this is boring me to sleep."

Lance laughed and his older sister smiled quite fondly at him as she closed her book, getting out the chair. Lance followed, the two of them swimming out the library, through the huge hallways of the palace and out the front door. Lance looked to his sister, long hair flowing out behind her. The crown around her forehead was thicker and studded with more jewels than Lance's, showing she was in line for the throne but the huge Pearl in the middle. 

"Oh, good afternoon, your Majesties." Allura stopped swimming as one of the woman from the town bowed politely, her little boy looking confused next to her - he couldn't be older than 7.

"Afternoon," Allura smiled "please, there's no need to bow." Lance shot a look of fondness at his sister "are you looking forward to the festival?"

"Oh, very much, Miss." she grinned, looking ecstatic at the fact two of the royal family were talking to her "will you be attending?" 

"Oh, I'm not sure yet, if my duties will allow me then I will." Allura nodded "though I'm sure my brother here will be there."

Lance nodded. He loved the festival, the only time he could really get out the castle and spend a whole day and night with Pidge and Hunk... if Pidge was still talking to him by then.

"Oh, then I hope to see you there, Prince Lance." she beamed at him

"Thank you." he smiled "I hope to see you too." she looked dazzled as Lance shot her one of his more dashing smiles. 

"Pardon, but you must excuse us." Allura said, so politely. Lance looked at her extremely fondly. She was going to make such a wonderful Queen.

"Of course, forgive me for taking up your time." the woman bowed again. 

"No need to apologise." Allura backtracked quickly "it has been lovely to speak with you, you have a nice day now."

"Thank you, Your Highness." she smiled as Allura tugged on lance's hand to get him to start swimming again. Pidge lived on the edge of town, quite near the school as Sam is.. was a teacher there. As they rounded the corner, Pidge's house came into view, pretty and quite small with bright corals in front of it. Coleen was in the front garden, tending to them when they arrived. Allura cleared her throat and she looked up, a smile spreading across her face.

"Lance! Allura, oh how nice to see you." she smiled "Oh my, you've shot up at least a foot." she laughed, meeting Lance's guilty eyes "to what do I owe the surprise?" 

"Some news, I'm afraid." Allura spoke "might we come in, Colleen?"

Her face dropped "yes, yes of course." she turned to the house, Lance glanced at Allura who gave him a reassuring smile and the two of them followed her into the familiar lounge of their house. Lance had come here many times after school when he was a kid, Coran would come and chat with Colleen or Sam while Lance got a chance to play with Hunk and Pidge.   
Pidge herself was sat on the windowsill and looked up from her book as the two of them entered, her eyebrow cocking.

"Please, sit you two." she said, motioning to a couple chairs in the corner and she perched next to Pidge on the windowsill.

"This is about Dad and Matt, isn't it?" Pidge said, her voice small as Lance and Allura sat. His sister glanced at Lance, he took this to mean it was time for him to take over.

"Yes." Lance croaked, Colleen made a sort of broken noise and Pidge's hand shot out to hold her mother's hand "well, um, our father came home and.. he's already increased the range of his search four times and there's still no sign of them." Pidge's lip trembled and Lance felt his chest constrict.

"S-surely, there must of been somewhere missed." Pidge said, her voice shaking.

"Katie." her mother warned.

"No, she's quite right." Lance interrupted, he hated when people were polite to him just because of his blood stature.

Allura interupted "Lance argued quite forcefully with out father about continuing to search." she sighed "but once he's made up his mind I'm afraid..." her voice trailed off, trying to find the right words.

"He's decided to call of the searches." Lance finished, meeting Pidge's eyes - which were watering "I'm sorry, Pidge."

The girl dropped his gaze, her mother looked like she was barely holding it together "T-thank you for coming to tell us, that can't of been easy."

"We'll let you two be alone, I'm so sorry." Allura spoke, getting up from the chair, she shot Lance a look and tugged on his hand to follow her out the door. He didn't know what to say, his chest felt tight and he kinda wanted to punch something. They should still be looking. They couldn't give up..

"Lance!" came Pidge's voice and he spun round to see her swimming out the front door. Allura moved ahead to give the two of them a little space.

"Did you.. did you really argue with your dad to continue searching?" she asked

"Yeah." Lance sighed, scratching the back of his neck. Pidge looked at him for a second before seizing him round the waist in a bone crushing hug. Lance's eyes widened, Pidge didn't particularly ever show affection like this, he sighed and brought his arms around her shoulders, patting her head were it sat on his chest. She pulled away after a moment, sniffling.

"I knew there was something wrong, I'm sorry you fought with him." she rubbed at her eyes "but thank you, that it was for my family."

"Don't thank me." Lance shook his head "it's the right thing to do, we shouldn't be stopping."

Pidge nodded "I should get back to my mother."

"Will I see you later?" he asked

"I hope so." she reached out and squeezed his arm, smiled a bit meekly before turning back and disappearing into her house. Lance looked round to Allura who was waiting for him a few yards away. Feeling marginally better Pidge didn't hate him - he swam with his sister back to the castle.

It was much much later that Lance sat in the cavern. He was alone with Hunk - chatting about the festival tomorrow. He hadn't particularly expected to see Pidge after this morning so he was most surprised to hear the door being cranked open and Pidge's green tail flashing into the cavern. Hunk shot a look at Lance, who had caught him up in Pidge's absence about the events of the day.

"Before anyone says anything," she said, adjusting the strap of her bag that was slung over her shoulder "I don't want to talk about it, and I'd rather pretend like it wasn't happening so I don't have to think about it."

There was a moment of silence, Lance perfectly understood that she wanted her mind off Matt and Sam so he instead asked "what's in the bag?"

At this, she smirked "something I've been working on. It's a present for you, since it's your birthday in a few days."

"Pidge," he groaned "you know I hate presents."

He was shushed, however "You'll like this. I was gonna wait until the actual day but with the festival tomorrow, I know how much you love it, thought we could use it sooner rather than later." and with a flourish, she pulled a stoppered bottle from her bag. Inside it was a glittering red liquid, floating around in the glass like it had a mind of it's own.

"What the heck is that?" Hunk raised an eyebrow.

"This, my dear friends, is a potion that - if I've done it correctly - will turn a human into a mermaid for 24 hours."

There was dead silence in the cavern, Lance was the first to speak "you're pulling my tail."

"I resent that." she smiled, moving the potion around in the glass, it shimmered against the watery sunlight "you know I'd never joke about science." she turned to Lance "and I figured since you have a painfully obvious crush on Keith, you could take him to the festival."

Lance was about to snap at her about the crush comment when the reality of it washed over him, he looked sceptically at her "you're sure it'll work?"

"A solid 85% sure yes."

"That doesn't reassure me." Hunk was rubbing his forehead now, not quite believing he was being dragged into another one of Lance and Pidge's plans. Lance reached out and took the bottle from Pidge, it sloshed in the stoppered bottle and glittered prettily.

"How long have you been working on this?" he asked

"Since he did't try to stuff you into a fishing net after your first meeting." Pidge shrugged "I originally wanted to turn mermaids human, but a happy accident." she shrugged "still working on that but for now..."

"We don't even know if he'll drink it." Lance whispered, though his brain was ticking. The idea of prolonged time with Keith and when he could actually not have to hide it seemed... wonderful. On the other hand, he'd be bringing a human into Altea, and if Keith betrayed them - which he doubted he would but it still ningled in the back of his head - then his father would most certainly kill not only Lance but Keith as well. Pidge and Hunk would be sent to jail for helping them...

"Stop thinking about it." Pidge whispered "you like him, yes?"

"Yes." Lance blushed

"Then it's settled, we're doing it." she shrugged, folding her arms in a matter-of-fact way "speaking of Keith, we should get going if we want to get there before sundown."

"This is a bad idea..." Hunk muttered, but Lance wasn't listening as he followed Pidge out the door, staring at the bottle in his hands.

"You think he'll take it?" Lance asked

"I think he'd just as crazy about you as you are about him." Pidge chuckled "so yes, I think he'll take it."

"We're going to die." Hunk moaned.

Shooting him an annoyed look Pidge said "Hunk, let's be real. Lance fucking hates being a Prince and the only time he genuinely smiles is around Keith." Lance blushed, looking over at Pidge "so any chance he'll cheer up, I'm taking the risk."

Hunk sighed and nodded "yeah.. I know." he groaned "fine! I'm in."

Lance opened his mouth to express how grateful he was when Pidge shushed him, sending him a look that just read not to get sappy on her and he just smiled, turning back to the bottle as they neared Smuggler's Cove. Lance saw Keith was already there, apparently skipping stones into the water as he watched ripples splay out from where the boy stood.

"Mind where you're throwing those." Lance smirked as he surfaced right next to the rock at Keith's feet.

"Lance." he smiled softly, lowing the hand he had a rock in and sitting on his knees in front of him, Keith's eyes darted behind Lance and he let of an "oh."

Lance turned to see Pidge had surfaced for the first time since his meetings with Keith started weeks ago "oh, Keith, this is Pidge."

"Oh," Keith smiled as Pidge swam over to float beside Lance, he held a hand out to her. Pidge seemed to know what to do as she raised a green, scaled hand out the water to shake it.

"Nice to finally meet you." she smiled "I'm not gonna crash your date long."

"Pidge." Lance hissed and she just laughed, Keith was blushing at the comment.

"Just thought I'd help explain." she shrugged

"Explain what?" Keith asked with a frown, looking between her and Lance.

"Uh, so basically the annual festival celebrating the turning of the moon's in tomorrow." Pidge said "Lance's favourite thing in the whole world, you should see him, he's like a kid in a coral shop."

"Pidge." he moaned again and she waved a hand at him to shush him.

"Did Lance tell you I'm an alchemist?" she asked, Keith shook his head and she shot Lance a look, carrying on with bluntly telling him the situation. Very Pidge. "well, I guess I'm just a trianee. Anyway, basically, I make potions. I recently came up with this one." she lifted Lance's hand out the water, which was still clutched around the red bottle.

"O..kay?" Keith frowned

"It's gonna turn you into a mermaid for a day." Pidge said "allowing you a perfect amount of time to go on an adorable date with my friend here."

"Pidge!" Lance snapped again, blushing a lot at this point and she continued to ignore him.

"Well, that's everything." she smiled, she took the bottle from Lance, pushing it back into her bag - she squeezed his shoulder "I'll keep it safe, see you tomorrow." and with that, she dived under the water, flashing a green tail and disappearing into dark waters. Lance watched the green glow from her markings fade along with Hunk's yellow as they swam away.

"Is that... true?" Keith was the first to speak and Lance turned back to him.

"Yes." he nodded "listen, don't feel pressured to come but.." he blushed "I'd like to show you the festival."

"I'd.. I'd like to spend that time with you." Keith mumbled but Lance caught it and he beamed up at him.

"Really?" he asked

"Really." he scratched his neck "but you're gonna have to teach me some mermaid-isms? I have no idea how I'm supposed to act."

"Oh, buckle up." Lance grinned, pushing out the water to sit with him "I'll teach you everything you need to know."


	5. Festival

"You look nice." Allura commented and Lance shrieked, nearly jumping a foot as he was trying to leave, sneak out of, the castle. Not that there was anything suspicious about that, he was allowed to but he was about to go give a human a potion to break about a million mer-laws, she laughed and raised an eyebrow "what are you up to?"

"Nothing." he laughed hastily "I was just off to meet Pidge and Hunk."

"Oh, well have fun at the festival tonight." 

"You're not coming?"

"No, unfortunately." she sighed "I have a mountain of work, but have fun - bring me back something pretty."

"Will do." Lance laughed "also, thank you." he adjusted his shirt.

People usually dressed up for the festival, Lance usually just wore necklaces and his crown on a daily basis. But today he had on a baby blue tank top with gold embroidery over it, bangles around his wrists and biceps, his crown sitting on his forehead. His bag was slung over his shoulder with some of the shirts he never wore stuffed in, they were in a variety of colours as they didn't know what colour Keith's tail was going to be. Lance would not be seen with someone with clashing clothes and tail. He was assuming it might be purple since his eyes were but.. it wasn't always the case. So there were a few other colours jammed in.

"Have fun." she waved him off and he flashed out the door, the streets were bustling with people setting up and getting excited, many said a polite hello or bowed, which he returned even if he was in a rush to get to the cavern. He eventually made it to the outskirts of town and increased his speed to make it to the hideout fast. Pidge and Hunk were waiting outside, both also dressed nicely. Pidge wore the same thing she wore every day but her hair had been done into a crown braid with many silver, ornate slides holding it together. Hunk wore his gold shirt with no jewellery. Lance was definitely more into his jewellery.

"Re

ady?" Hunk asked him as he arrived, tail aching at the speed at which he'd swum here.

"As I'll ever be." 

"Let's get going." Pidge nodded "Keith will be there any minute." and with that the three of them took off. The swim there was in silence as Lance's mind ticked a million miles an hour. He tried not to think about how this could be a catastrophically bad idea as he saw the torch light and Keith's silhouette sitting on the rock. Lance and Pidge surfaced while Hunk kept a lookout below - not that anyone ever came near Smuggler's Cove but they were doing something very stupid and also illegal so it was good to be on the safe side. 

"Hey." Lance smiled as Keith saw them "sorry we're late." 

"It's okay." Keith grinned back "so, uh, how are we doing this?" 

"Well, you gotta get in." Pidge said "only works in water. Also you might wanna take off a few layers, have some dry clothes for when we drop you back off." 

"Right." Keith looked pale and very nervous. Lance reached out the water and curled his fingers around his wrist, his blue eyes met Keith's dark ones and he smiled. 

"It's gonna be okay, we'll keep you afloat." he spoke softly, remembering Keith couldn't swim very well. Hence how they met in the first place. Keith smiled and nodded, he stood up and Pidge turned to give him some privacy as he peeled off his sweater. Lance turned more reluctantly as he started unbuttoning jeans and yanking off his shoes, after stowing them in the little boat he used to get to the Island from the mainland. He cleared his throat. The two of them turned and he was sat on the edge of the rock, his shins dangling into the water. 

"Here." Lance swam forward "Put an arm around me, I'll keep us above the surface until you're ready."

Keith nodded silently, curling an arm around Lance's shoulder he lowered himself into the water. Lance clutched him tightly round the waist with one hand, the other keeping them afloat. When Keith was in to the chest, he let go of the rock and clung to Lance's neck.

"See, you're fine." Lance said softly, grip on Keith's waist tightening as he shivered in the water next to him. Pidge was unstoppering the bottle and handing it to him.

"Drink it in a oner."

Keith gave it a sceptical look "will it hurt?"

"I don't think so, no." Pidge said, Lance could tell she actually had no idea but was trying to make him feel better.

"Here goes nothing." Keith sighed, then threw back the glowing, red liquid. There was a moment of silence before he coughed and then his face screwed up. There was a rush of wind and Lance squinted, holding on to Keith as tight as he could without hurting him. There was suddenly a flashing, bright white light from Keith and Lance had to close his eyes against it as wind rushed in his ears. 

After a moment the light suddenly faded and the wind stopped, Lance looked to Keith quickly, who looked like he'd seen a ghost.

"Are you okay?" Lance asked worriedly.  

"It worked..." he laughed, suddenly grinning at Lance. Who'd nearly forgotten about the whole reason he was here, his eyes flickered to Keith's legs, his eyes widened at the deep crimson tail where his legs had been and beamed. Keith seemed to realise he was still clinging to Lance's neck and backed up a few inches, still holding his shoulders. 

"Oh my god." Pidge laughed, slightly like a crazed scientist "I actually did it!"

"We can praise you when we see if those bad boys work." Lance nodded to where gill slits had formed on Keith's ribs "Keith, do you think you can come under with us?"

"Y-yeah." he said nervously. 

"I won't let go of your hands." Lance smiled, reaching up to take Keith's hands from his shoulders. He looked down to where Keith's hands were now webbed, red scales all over his them to the elbow. Keith gripped his hands hard and Lance looked him in the eyes "ready?"

"Let's do it." 

"Just... breathe in through your chest?" Pidge said, trying to explain how to breathe as a mermaid when it was just second nature to them. Lance let himself sink under the water, pulling Keith very gently by the hands with him. He watched as Keith kept his mouth firmly shut but seemed to breathe in just fine through his new found gills.

"You're a natural." Lance laughed "you can open your mouth, you know. You talk just the same as on the surface." 

"I can?" Keith said and then clamped a hand over his mouth "this is so bizarre." he whispered through his fingers.

"Can I have my hands back?" Lance smiled "I brought you some clothes." 

"Right!" Keith blushed, pulling his red hands out of Lance's. Who was smiling as he reached round into his bad. 

"I was assuming your tail would be violet, given your eye colour but I brought a red one." he said mostly to himself, yanking out the red shirt. It was a pretty nice button up waist coat, with ornate, silver buttons and trim.

"Thanks." he said, taking it from Lance and pulling it over his shoulders. Which Lance realised were a little broader than his own but it still buttoned up just fine.

"You look great." Lance smiled "everyone always dressed up for the festival." he snatched Keith's hand into his own "speaking of, come on and meet Hunk - he's our look out." 

Keith was a little slow at swimming as he got used to it, but with Lance's hand guiding him and Pidge teaching him how to use his dorsal fins, they got to Hunk in relatively good time. Keith couldn't quite believe what was happening, he had a tail and was going on somewhat of a date.. with a mermaid. A royal mermaid.

As they stopped he found himself in front of a kind faced mermaid with a yellow tail and glowing gold markings. Keith glanced down at his skin, blood red, glowing marks had appeared on his pale skin.

"Keith, Hunk - Hunk, Keith." Lance waved between the two of them.

"Nice to meet you." Keith smiled at him  

Hunk was sceptical but he seemed to warm up to him as they swam. Lance's hand didn't leave Keith's the whole way, his excuse being he was helping him to learn to swim with his new tail. Pidge and Hunk followed a little behind them as Lance chattered away, looking very happy. Keith just let him talk, smiling rather fondly as he did, just enjoying the fact he was getting to spend so much time with him. He'd told Shiro he was going on a class trip. He never needed to know about this. 

Keith's eyes widened as they reached the outskirts of Altea. He was overwhelmed, it was like a dream. The streets of the water city spiralled out in front of him.

"This is beautiful." he breathed

"Welcome to Altea." Lance smiled. The streets were busy with mermaids all looking very pretty and heading for the festival in the city square. 

"It's amazing." his eyes sparkled, Lance tugged on his hand.

"Come on, the festival's this way." he beamed "you're going to love it! The whole city comes to it and there's loads of stalls." 

Keith smiled and swam after him, which is was getting the hang of it now but wasn't really complaining at having Lance hold his hand. They made their way through the streets of Altea towards the festival with everyone else, Lance got a few hellos and another couple bows and he returned them.

"You're kinda a big deal around here, huh?" Keith smirked at him, Lance shrugged.

"I guess, I am the Prince after all." 

"Also everyone in the kingdom has a crush on him." Pidge said as her and Hunk caught up.

"They don't." Lance laughed

"That's a lie, you're just blind to it." she shot back "I mean being Alfor's only son does mean all the ladies are gonna go after you, you're their only shot at being a Princess."

"Good thing I don't get out much then." Lance said flatly. Pidge caught Keith's eye for a split second and looked away. As they made it into the city square Lance heard Keith's breath catch beside him. He understood the reaction, the festival was always beautiful. Everything was lit by a warm, orange glow of a load of Glow Fish in glass jars strung round the walls. Stalls were set up all over the place and there were people walking around, chatting and eating things from stalls.  

"Beautiful isn't it?" Lance laughed, dodging to the side as two young kids swam past, chasing one of the snapping turtles they sold from a stall in the back. Keith looked lost about where to start.

"Lance, Hunk and I are gonna head over to the Alchemy stalls." Pidge said "catch you two later?"

"Oh, okay?" Lance frowned as Pidge didn't wait for an answer before she seized Hunk's arm and, with stregnth he didn't know she contained, dragged him away from Keith and Lance. Who plunged into a slightly awkward silence while floating at the edge of the festival.

Lance cleared his throat roughly "you hungry?" 

"Starving." Keith smiled

"Come on." Lance seized his arm "I know the best place to get food here." and with that he dragged him through the water and into the festival. The place was bustling and there were loads of people milling about. More people bowed to Lance or offered him things half price but he smiled politely as they continued to move. No one gave Keith a second glance. He just looked like a normal mermaid. Although, red was quite a rare colour of scale. 

"Lance!" came a voice and he turned to see Allura's beaming face come towards him.

"Allura!" Lance grinned "I thought you weren't coming?"

"Oh, Coran said I could go - I'll finish my work tomorrow. Festival's only on once a year." she noticed Keith by Lance's side. "oh, hello."

"Oh yeah, Allura, this is my new friend Keith, um, he's Pidge's cousin." Lance made up on the spot "Keith, this is my older sister, Allura."

"Nice to meet you!" Allura grinned, seeming so much more happy than usual. 

"Y-you too." Keith stuttered, Lance looked over at him rather fondly - something Allura definitely picked up on and smirked.

"I'll leave you guys to have fun." she said slyly "I'll see you tomorrow, baby brother. Don't forget you promised to buy me something pretty."

"Bye?" Lance frowned as she took off again, leaving him alone with Keith again, they kept moving into the festival and Keith was the first to talk again.

"So, that was one of you 6 sisters?" he asked 

"Yeah, the oldest and the one I'm most fond of, Allura." she sighed "she's next in line for the throne." he looked over at Keith "you said you had a brother?"

"Yeah, Shiro." he smiled

"You guys close?"

"About as close as two people can be." Keith nodded "since our parents died when I was 12, he's been looking after me."

"That's so sad." Lance said"my mom died when I was 6."

"Oh, how did it happen?" Keith said gently. Lance stopped swimming for a second and cleared his throat "s-sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No it's fine." he scratched his neck and moved again "um, she got trapped in a fishing net."

"Oh." Keith's eyes widened 

"It's why my Dad hates humans." he mumbled sourly "it was an accident but she was injured and by the time they got her out..." his voice trailed off and he bit his lip. It was still painful to think about. He felt Keith's hand take his own "sorry, let's keep going."

Keith nodded and turned to the first stall he could see, which was apparently some sort of jewlery and blown glass stall, he smiled as Keith picked up a purple dragonfly glass hair slide off the stall and looked at it with big eyes. The lady who ran the stall leaned over the counter to them. She looked middle aged but was very prety with dark hair, tanned skin and glittering icy blue eyes and a tail to match.

"Pretty, isn't it?" she smiled at Keith 

"Oh.. yeah it is." he said

"Why don't you take it, honey?" she smiled, reaching out and taking it from Keith's hand before brushing his bangs from his eyes and sliding the clip into his hair to keep them off his face "it matches your eyes."

"I don't have any money." Keith's cheeks were red and Lance's eyes bulged as he looked at his face. For once getting a good ook at his eyes since the first time he rescused him on that rock. Shit, he really was cute. He didn't quite realise just how long Keith's eyelashes were. Thick, dark eyebrows making the purple really stand out.

"I'll get it for you." Lance spoke, reaching for the coin purse he had strapped round his waist.

"Oh, no, your majesty." she shook her head "please just take it, it was made for him."

"I can't possibly-" Lance started 

"Oh, but I instst - a match made in heaven." she laughed

"Th-thank you." Keith said, Lance glanced at him to see him blushing and smiled and his fingers relaxd around the wallet.

"Yes, well, thank you very much." Lance smiled to the woman, who bowed to him "come on, Keith." he took his hand "let's go see some more stalls."

Keith swam after him, now smiling softly with his hair pulled from his face. Lance was having a problem concentrating now. God, he was so cute this might kill him."She's right." Lance skwaked, then cringed and he cleared his throat.

"Huh?" Keith looked up at him.

He smiled slightly at him "it does match your eyes." Keith's cheeks reddened and he looked at down to the floor, muttering out a thank you and Lance's grin grew slightly "come on, I think that's the food stall I love."

Keith looked across the festival to see a stall with a load of things on it that could be food but Keith was so lost. Lance swam up to it and smiled at the man behind the stall, for a second Keith thought it was Hunk but then realised he looked middle aged, lines of silver going through ebony hair that was pulled into a bun. 

"Lance!" boomed the man. 

"Evening, Mr Garrett." the boy grinned back at him, Keith hung back a little bit behind him "festival treating you well?"

"Don't you know it, son." he laughed warmly "what can I get you two?"

"Uh, couple of Starfruits?" Lance asked "or have you got any recommendations?"

"Now, there's a question," he chuckled "but no, you're heading the right way with the Starfruits, got 'em straight of the tree you and Hunk planted all those years ago."

"Awesome!" Lance grinned "it's growing fruits now?" 

"Biggest ones I ever seen." the man nodded, picking them up off the stall "they're on the house!"

"Nonsense." Lance handed the fruits to Keith and pulled open his money pouch "I refuse to not pay for them, let me have this normal thing!"

"Oh fine, at least take 'em at friends and family reduced price." he smiled at Lance

"You strike a mean bargain." Lance said, handing the man a couple strange coins Keith had never seen before "catch you soon, Mr Garrett." 

"Have a good night now!" the man waved as Lance seized Keith's elbow and headed to the edge of the festival, where there was a comfy looking bench where the two of them could sit down.

"So, what am I about to eat?" Keith asked, looking at the vibrant yellow fruit with some apprehension.

"Heaven in a spikey exterior." Lance shrugged "Pidge hates these things, but she has the flavour pallete of a guppy." Lance took a huge bite out of his fruit, moaning happily in a way that made Keith's face go a little red.

"What is it?" Keith asked, looking at the yellow... thing in his hand. 

"Oh, just trust me and eat it." Lance laughed. Keith sighed, bringing it to his mouth and taking the smallest bite out of it. His eyes widened as sweet juice exploded on to his tongue and he let off a noise of surprise. Lance chuckled at the reaction "they're called Starfruit for a reason. Shoots flavour on to your tongue."

"It's incredible!" Keith laughed, taking another huge bite. Lance smiled at him, a content look on his face, bangs brushed out of his eyes. He looked so perfectly happy that Lance couldn't help but smile widely as they ate in a happy silence. 


	6. The Hideout

"Lance, where are we going?" Keith was smiling next to Lance as they swam out of the city. Keith's hand was clutched tightly in his, trying to keep up as Lance was a very fast and strong swimmer. Keith was getting used to his new found fins but he wasn't exactly up to speed with actual mermaids. 

"I wanna show you the hideout, plus I can't just walk you into the castle so you need somewhere to sleep." Lance babbled. Keith was smiling fondly over at him. Words could not describe how much fun he'd had. This was all amazing, but the fact Keith knew he had feelings for Lance now... made things rather complicated. 

"You guys have a hideout?" he smirked, just processing the information as he raised an eyebrow at Lance. 

"Yes." Lance said indignantly "when you do as many mildly illegal things as we do you need a place to hide." 

Keith barked a laugh, he felt himself falling behind Lance as there was a slight tug of currents - the water getting colder again. Keith's hand tightened and Lance turned round to him "are you alright?" 

"Fine, I'm just not as fast as you, Lance, I've been swimming for like 4 hours." he laughed 

"Sorry." Lance smiled sweetly, slowing down a little and clutching Keith's hand tighter "I forget you're not actually... I mean, you're a natural." 

Keith chuckled, he was actually getting used to this which was quite a bizarre feeling. Taking the potion was like having someone stick his legs together and his feet grow into fins. Though at the moment the muscles were aching, how was Lance swimming this long? 

"We're almost there." Lance said, Keith looked over to him and found a small blush rise to his cheeks. The blue glow from his markings was lighting up his face, silver hair floating and with all the added jewellery he look ethereal, possibly the most beautiful thing Keith had ever had the pleasure of laying his eyes on. Keith wondered what he saw in him, he was nothing special. Maybe just because he was human. Lance grinned back at him and his heart did a little flip in his chest as they came to a halt by a huge cluster of rocks with ply wood discarded by them.

"Welcome!" 

Keith cocked an eyebrow "it's a rock." 

A laugh bubbled out of Lance's chest "looks can be deceiving." and with that he did a sort of fancy knock on the ply wood. Two short followed by three quick raps, the ply wood swung inward as if on a rope. Lance swam in first, followed by an apprehensive Keith. The two were plunged into darkness as the wood slapped shut again, their markings glowing a path through the brief dark cave before it opened out. Keith found himself in a huge cavern surrounded by trinkets all the way to the top. There were ridges of rock, each of them containing dozens of items Keith recognised as things he used everyday.

The cavern was a little dark, the only light trickling in from the gap, though Pidge had a little glow fish in a jar over by her corner that was casting warm, yellow light into the room.

"Woah." he breathed 

"So he had clearance for the secret hideout?" Came Pidge's voice and Keith turned to see her and Hunk sitting on some rocks across the cavern.

"By order of me." Lance laughed "he is a human, he could tell is what some of this stuff is." 

Keith watched Pidge's eyes sparkle at the idea "welcome to the hideout, Keith!" 

Lance rolled his eyes but with a smile on his face, Keith was staring at all the stuff on the walls - ordinary human things. Bottle caps, corks and cutlery as well as beautiful objects like a ornate, gold microscope over by Lance and a globe of the world. 

"What do you think?" Lance asked as Keith took in the place.

"It's amazing." he laughed, looking over at Lance. He reached out and picked up the music box witht he dancing couple on it. Lance's eyes twinkled as he absent mindedly turned the key to let the music twinkle out.

"What is that?" Lance asked, looking curiously at Keith as he watched the figure rotate slowly.

"It's a music box." Keith smiled "there's not much point to it, other than looking and sounding pretty."

"Amazing." Lance beamed and Keith's heart melted just a little at how excited and interested he was in human objects.

"If you say so." Keith chuckled, handing it back to him. Lance put it gently back up on his shelf "where did you find all this stuff?" he scanned along Lance's shelves, stuffed full of bits of glass smoothed down by the sea, pretty shells and a glittering gold locket.

"Near where we met." Lance smiled, watching the music box come to a halt "the tides stop around there, stuff gets washed away from the mainland." Lance's eyes drifted toward where the water was getting darker above them with a heavy sigh "Coran will start to worry, I should be getting back to the castle soon." 

"We'll wait for you out by the rocks." Hunk said, tugging on Pidge's small arm toward the door, less that subtly giving Lance and Keith the opportunity to say goodnight alone. Pidge gave Lance another very obvious wink. Keith pretended not to notice as he studied Lance's shelf a little too hard. 

"I.. uh," Keith said as the plywood snapped shit behind the two of them. Lance turned to him to see he was already looking at him from a few feet away. His hair still brushed off his face and his cheeks had gone a little red "I had a lot of fun." 

"Really?" Lance grinned "the festival is the one time I'm really allowed out for the whole day, I'm so glad you liked it." Keith smiled a little softly over at him, colour rose to Lance's cheeks "well, goodnight. There's some sea sponge over there and blankets in the shelves."

"Thanks, Lance."

"Well, I'll see you in the morning." he smiled a little awkwardly, turning towards the door.

"Lance, wait!" Keith said quickly 

"Huh?" lance turned and as he did for a split second he was aware of a warm pressure against his cheek. It took him all but 2 seconds to realise it was Keith's lips as the black haired boy looked away almost as quickly as he had initiated the contact. Lance felt his entire face flush bright red. 

"R-right.." he manged "well..." he cleared his throat "good night, Keith."

"Night, Lance." The soft smile on the black haired boys was the last thing he saw before he turned to the door, smiling goofily to himself, brushing fingers across the tingling skin where Keith had just kissed him.

Pidge and Hunk were waiting just out the door and exchanged a small smirk as Lance appeared, totally flushed in appearance and smiling like an idiot.

"So, did you have fun tonight?" Pidge asked, the smug smile not moving from her face. Lance looked over, eyes a little glazed as he hummed out a noise that appeared to mean yes.

"Thank you so much, Pidge." he sighed as they made it to the edge of town, the festival had died down, only a few people milling about in the streets now "this was incredible."

The smile of Pidge's face became fond and she nodded "no problem, loverboy."

"I guess we actually pulled this off, so I gotta hand it to you - that potion was amazing." Hunk sighed

"Now just to master the one that turns mermaids into humans." it was supposed to be a murmur to herself but Lance heard and looked over as they stopped at the steps up to the palace.

"You think you can do that?" he whispered

"I'm sure I can." she nodded "I'm almost there, actually." The idea made Lance shiver, being a human - if only temporary seemed... wonderful. Keith could show him his world, like he had done. It would be amazing "but for now, I bid thee goodnight - Your Majesty." and she bowed sarcastically.

"I can have you beheaded, watch it." Lance grinned

"Lies!" Pidge laughed as she started swimming away, waving before she disappeared round the corner in the direction of the house.

Hunk sighed with a fond smile "good night, Lance." he clapped his shoulder "I'm glad you had fun tonight."

"Thanks, buddy." Lance smiled as Hunk swam after Pidge, raising a hand to wave his friend off before turning towards the castle. He sighed as it loomed above him, he felt better than he had in weeks as he pushed open the heavy front door. Trying to keep quiet as he turned toward the hallway for his room.

"You're home late." came a voice from the darkness. Lance let off a screech as he jumped, spinning round to see Allura sitting in one of the chairs in the main entrance hall.

"Oh, yeah sorry.... I was with Pidge and Hunk." he said sheepishly, scratching his head as Allura lit the lamp next to her. Lance could now see her face was smiling and he relaxed a little.

"And your new  _"friend"_ , Keith, was it?" she said smugly.

Lance blushed and looked away mumbling out an incoherant "yeah."

"Oh come on, little brother, humor me - tell me about the boy you so desperately seem to have a crush on."

"Allura." he moaned 

His sister giggled "is he nice?"

"Yes, very. Now can I please go to bed?" he was horribly embarassed and Allura smiled at him.

"Sleep well, Baby Brother, I'm glad you had fun tonight."

"Good night, Allura." he chuckled, scratching his neck and swimming as fast as he could in the direction of his room. 


End file.
